FAQs

Q. Who do I call with questions, to access my free BarCARES counseling sessions or with urgent concerns?

A.Urgent calls will be received by a BarCARES representative at HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, P.A., 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-640-0735.

You can call with questions about BarCARES or access your three free annual BarCARES counseling sessions by calling the confidential BarCARES assistance line at 1-800-640-0735 or 919-929-1227 during business hours to speak to the BarCARES Program Coordinator or leave a confidential voice mail.

Following the call, the BarCARES service representative will work to arrange an initial session between you and a BarCARES counseling provider in your local area, unless you prefer a provider outside your local area. Subsequent BarCARES counseling sessions are arranged directly between you and your BarCARES counseling provider and can be used to resolve problems or determine how to access other sources of help.

Q. Can my family use my BarCARES counseling sessions?

A.Some bar groups have chosen a plan that allows immediate family members to use one or all of their three cost-free annual BarCARES counseling sessions. The BarCARES service representative will let you know if your specific bar group allows family members to participate. Please note that the NCBA BarCARES Initiative is for attorneys only and does not cover family members.

Q. Who pays for my BarCARES counseling sessions?

A.Three annual BarCARES counseling sessions are provided at no cost to you by funding provided by your bar group membership or law school. The North Carolina Bar Association and Lawyers Insurance Agency fund administrative fees for the program. None of these groups have access to names or other identifying information of any program user.

Q. How is BarCARES different from the N.C. State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program?

A.BarCARES is a confidential, short-term intervention program provided cost-free to members of participating judicial district bars, voluntary bar associations and law schools. All BarCARES contact is made through HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, P.A., the organization that administers the BarCARES program. The three annual BarCARES counseling sessions are free.

The Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) is a separate free and confidential program offered by the N.C. State Bar. LAP has therapists on staff and provides intake, referral, ongoing case management and long-term follow-up. LAP has a cadre of trained lawyer volunteers who have dealt with and overcome the most common issues lawyers encounter. These volunteers serve as mentors to lawyers who reach out to LAP and provide their own experience as to what worked for them. LAP also hosts lawyer peer support and discussion groups across the state.

BarCARES and LAP work cooperatively and cross-refer. For example, if a lawyer contacts LAP and is a member of the NCBA or a member of a participating judicial district bar, voluntary bar association or law school, LAP will refer the lawyer to the BarCARES program. Similarly, if a lawyer has been seeing a BarCARES therapist, and the therapist thinks the lawyer would benefit from additional support like speaking to peers who have overcome similar issues, the BarCARES therapist will recommend that the lawyer contact LAP.

Both programs are confidential and work together for the good of North Carolina’s legal community.